# Instagram Media Saver | Shortcuts Library

> Save photos, videos, stories, highlights, and reels

## What this shortcut does

This shortcut works on photos, videos, stories, and reels!
NOTES:
iCloud Drive is
required
for this shortcut to work
The app Scriptable is
required
to be installed
Do not change the name of the shortcut from "Instagram Media Saver" otherwise the setup may not work properly
If you use an alt account to login to Scriptable, this can cause an issue when trying to download media from a private profile if your alt account doesn't also follow the private account
In iOS 18 some users have noticed that if you have the Photos app locked with FaceID that the shortcut's permissions won't save the "Alway Allow" selection to access Photos
Test Script for Scriptable (may be needed)
If you run into an error that mentions an object is null or cannot be found, you should run a script to ensure that the app is working properly. An example script "test script" can be copied from
this location
and pasted into a new script in the scriptable app.
This can also help when the shortcut returns the "metadata" and "metadata" options instead of the normal menu choices. Also can help when the shortcut says the Media ID can't be found.
After you run it, the app should then work without issue to help in downloading Instagram media via the shortcut. The reason that Scriptable is needed / used now is due to the ability to store user cookies between sessions in the app. This is the reason for being able to download public and private media via the new methods implemented in the shortcut and also reason the shortcut has been reduced in action count.
Getting Started
Upon first running of the shortcut, you will he asked to choose which storage location you'd like media saved:
- iCloud Drive
- Photos
- Don't store, share only
If you choose "iCloud Drive", media and post info will be saved to the Shortcuts/Instagram Media Saver folder. You'll be asked if you want to copy the post text and if you want to save the post text.
If you choose "Photos", you will get a prompt to copy post text.
If you choose "Don't store, share only", you will be provided with a share sheet to share the photos to the standard share sheet options. You can also choose "Save Images" from there as well.
To reset or modify any of the settings, you can run the shortcut and be presented with the main menu options:
- Run the shortcut for multi-post downloading / run from clipboard
- Modify settings
- Reset settings
- Delete multi-post URLs file
- Delete downloaded media (from iCloud Drive storage only)
- Perform follower analysis
The settings menu provides access to modify any of the settings you setup during first runs of the shortcut. This allows for easy changes of things like Photos album to save to.
Instructions for post and reel downloading
Find the Instagram post you want to download
Share the post link to the Instagram Media Saver shortcut (you can alternatively copy the link to your clipboard then run the shortcut from the main menu)
As mentioned above, on first run, it will ask you to select your desired save location (iCloud Drive, Photos, or Don't save, share only!)
You can optionally overlay the username on the photos downloaded when downloading individual posts. Upon first run, you will be asked if you want the overlay to be applied (this can easily be changed later in the settings menu):
Always
Never
Ask Each Time
Reel Cover Image
* If you are downloading a reel, you can optionally download the reel cover image. The first time you download a reel you will be asked about download of cover image (this can easily be changed later in the settings menu):
 * Always
 * Never
 * Ask Each Time
If there is more than one piece of media in the shared post
(v1.69: New grid view with videos)
On first run, you can choose Always or Ask Each Time for downloading all the items
If you choose ask each time, the shortcut will ask if you want to start with all items selected or none.
It will then prompt you with the desired initial selection for which items you want to save
Tap Done
If not using the "Don't save, share only!" storage location, you will be asked on first run about copying the post text to clipboard. You can choose
Always (It will only copy the post text to clipboard for you if you have selected "Always". If you select "Ask Each Time" and when downloading, select "Yes", it will display the info in a Quick Look for you to select the part you want to copy manually)
Never
Ask Each Time
If you choose Ask Each Time, you will be presented with:
Yes
No
Copy link
Copy username
If using the "iCloud Drive" storage location, you will be asked on first run about saving the post text to clipboard. You can choose
Always
Never
Ask Each Time
Example image with rounded rectangle overlay (implemented in v1.29)
Instructions for Story and Highlight downloads (works with private profiles)
Story downloads can be done directly from viewing the desired story media by sharing it to the shortcut
Highlights can be downloaded from a user's profile by:
tap and hold the highlight and copying the highlight URL
sharing to the shortcut while viewing the Highlight
Optionally
, you can copy the user's profile URL, then run the shortcut. You can then choose between saving the
full HD resolution
profile photo, or downloading the full story from the user's account (this includes all active story media from the user)
Instructions for Profile Photo downloads (downloads full resolution profile photo)
Go to the profile of a user you want the photo from
Tap the three dots and copy profile URL
Go to Shortcuts and Run Instagram Media Saver
You can then choose between saving the profile photo, or downloading the full story from the given user's account. The photo will download to your chosen location along with the biography from the profile.
Instructions for Multi Post downloads
NOTE
:You must have the
Instagram Indexer
companion shortcut for this feature to work
Use the Indexer shortcut in Safari to index multiple posts from a given user
Run Instagram Media Saver
Choose "Run Shortcut"
Choose "Yes" when asked about downloading photos from the urls.txt file
Next you are presented with a choice to download all, half, or user choice amount of the post URLs
After choosing, the shortcut starts downloading the media
If you wish to clear out the urls.txt file, you can do so from the menu that is presented when running the shortcut without input from the share sheet
After media downloading has completed, you can see the saved media in the brief notification banner (if you choose to enable it).
As of v1.69 you can choose to only display notification for the first piece of media if desired.
Instructions for Reposting Feature (single photo only due to Instagram Shortcuts action limitation)
Download a post's media as you normally would above
At the end of the shortcut running, you'll be asked if you want to enable the repost feature
On future posts (if enabled), you'll be asked if you want to repost one of the photos from the post you just downloaded
If you choose yes, the post text will be copied to the clipboard and you'll be prompted to post on Instagram (if there is more than one photo, you'll be asked to choose one)
You can then paste the post text into the dialog box and post the photo
Instructions for Follower Analysis
Note:
DO NOT RUN WITH EDITOR OPEN OR SHORTCUTS APP WILL CRASH DUE TO NUMBER OF REPEATS
Run the shortcut without sharing to it
Choose Follower Analysis
Enter the username you'd like to analyze (case sensitive for proper analysis)
See total follower count and who has followed or unfollowed since the last analysis run
Shoutout to:
ROP for MediaKit Banners and Badges used for this page also for
iOS Switches
used in the shortcut
D3W10 for Swing Updater E used in the shortcut
Ego from r/Shortcuts Discord for inspiration and ideas to modify the shortcut for better profile photo downloads and various other improvements
More updates will come in the future for various fixes (if needed). Watch for them in the Shortcut.

## Compatibility

iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch

## Required apps

Files, iCloud Drive, Scriptable

[View this page](https://shortcutlibrary.app/shortcuts/instagram-media-saver)

[Download Shortcuts Library on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6759494377)